Installing AdBlock in Firefox

I recently commented on a FaceBook entry complaining about some adverts in FaceBook. My reply was to ask why the poster was seeing adverts at all. In the subsequent discussion, it became clear that knowledge of AdBlock was not as widespread as I’d thought.

So here are some instructions for Firefox on Windows and Linux.

The first thing to do, obviously, is to install Firefox if you haven’t done so already. In Linux, it’s probably installed by default; but if it isn’t, you should install it from your distribution’s repository.

In Windows, go to the Mozilla home page, and click on the Firefox Free Download button. When the file has been downloaded, open (run) it. How you do this will depend on what you are using to download the file. In Internet Explorer, for example, you may be asked if you want to run or save the file. Just say you want to run it. If however you elect to save the file, simply navigate to where you saved the file and double-click on it to start the installation program.

Once the Windows installation program runs, just say OK to any warnings that pop up and accept all the defaults. When you finish the install, you will be able to open Firefox from the Windows start menu. If Firefox asks if you want it to be the your default browser, say yes—unless you want to go back to looking at adverts in Internet Explorer.

In Windows, by default, Firefox installs without a menu bar. Instead, there is a Firefox button at top left of the Firefox window. To install Adblock, click on this button and select Add-ons from the dropdown menu.

If, on the other hand, your version of Firefox is displaying a menu bar, select Tools > Add-ons.

Now click on Plugins in the left hand column of the Add-ons page. In the top right hand corner there is a search box. Enter Adblock in the search box and press [Enter].

In the list that is now displayed, make sure that the Available Add-ons button is selected above the main panel, and you will see the names of a number of add-ons displayed. You can either select Addblock Plus, or Adblock Edge. I tend to prefer the latter.

Now click the Install button. Firefox will download and install Addblock. If you are asked any questions during the installation, just say yes and continue, accepting all defaults (if any).

Lastly, restart Firefox and that’s it. Adverts will be gone (or at least all those that Addblock can identify).

The instructions for Linux are identical, except that you always do your stuff from the menu bar, as far as I know. None of the distributions I’ve used have used the Firefox button at top left.